Positioning units for bridge defences

[caravel]

You just highlighted what is -- for me, at least -- a key limitation on ashi teppo units: I only truly find them useful in defensive battles. When attacking, I almost never employ them at all. Their range is too short, and can be too easily flanked since I prefer to attack over more open terrain as a general rule.

Of course, to be fair, I usually don't use Sam Archers a lot in offensive battles either, but I still find them to be at least more useful than arq/musket troops.

True enough, though you can take them into an offensive engagement if you deploy in a defensive formation. You need a very cautious advance, moving from one defensive position to the next. The key is to lure the enemy to attack your formation. You can get some massive kills because the enemy believes it can take on your Ashigaru units and win easily. If you were to deploy with lots of monks and other Samurai, the AI often retreats without a blow exchanged/shot fired.

I for one, prefer some aspects of the AI in STW over the improved MTW AI. I find that the enemy make more use of the high ground and woods in STW especially.